About Me

Peace and justice advocate; Storyteller; Workshop Facilitator; Inspirational Speaker; Artist. I am an involuntarily retired social worker with a twenty year career in the field of child abuse and neglect and child welfare. I am on a perpetual spiritual journey of discovery with an eclectic practice including Native American shamanism, Zen Buddhist meditation, Reiki, the Tao Te Ching, Chi Kung, and Tai Chi. And I like a good dark beer once in a while too.

Monday, April 30, 2012

And So It Goes

I attended my first mini-shesshin (Buddhist retreat) this past weekend and it was a transformational experience. I have never sat in meditation position for that long ever before and I am so sore and tired. But I am also inspired to maintain and grow my own meditataion and study practice. I feel more Buddhist than ever.

The teacher told us the first night that our task for the shesshin was to sit, breathe, and listen. That sounds easy, but as a culture we rarely concentrate and focus our energies on the task at hand. When we are cooking we are also thinking of who will do the dishes and what has to be done later on that evening and what we will wear tomorrow. This robs us of the full experience, and joy, of cooking. Sitting in meditation is training for mindful living. As it is on the cushion, so it is in life.

I come home to find several "must do" tasks waiting for me. But I am not bothered. One task at a time, one step at a time. And so it goes.